Warm halloumi salad with roasted peppers and chickpeas

Warm Vegetarian Bistro Salad Mediterranean Quick Weeknight dinner Halloumi Gluten-free

Warm salads are the ultimate bistro meal: substantial enough for dinner, yet light enough so you don't feel weighed down. In this recipe you sear halloumi until it forms a golden-brown crust, roast peppers and chickpeas until they're lightly charred, and serve everything lukewarm on a bed of arugula with a lemon-honey dressing. For that perfect charred edge you need a good frying pan without a non-stick coating — only a pan that really holds heat will give you that beautiful Maillard crust. This is the dish that will have your friends asking for the recipe.

x_ckl_recipe_markerWarm halloumi salad with roasted peppers and chickpeas A rich, warm bistro salad with crisply seared halloumi, roasted peppers and crunchy chickpeas. On the table in less than 35 minutes. How to make a warm halloumi salad with roasted peppers and chickpeas? Main course Mediterranean 2 servings 10 min 30 min

Pat the halloumi dry with kitchen paper and cut into slices about 1 cm thick. Let the slices rest at room temperature for 5 minutes so they sear properly.
Rinse the chickpeas and pat them dry as well. Toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
Heat your frying pan over medium-high to high heat without oil. The pan is ready when a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add the chickpeas and cook them 6 to 8 minutes, shaking occasionally, until they're crispy and lightly charred. Spoon them out of the pan and set aside.
Cut the peppers into wide strips. Add a small splash of olive oil to the pan and cook the pepper strips over high heat 4 to 5 minutes until blistered and showing dark edges. Remove them from the pan as well.
Fry the halloumi slices in the same hot pan, without extra oil, 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Take them off the heat as soon as the color is right — halloumi becomes tough if you leave it too long.
Make the dressing: mix the juice of half a lemon with 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the arugula over deep plates or a large platter. Arrange the warm peppers, chickpeas and halloumi on top. Spoon the dressing over and garnish with fresh mint, pomegranate seeds and, if you like, some chili flakes for extra heat.
Serve immediately, while the ingredients are still warm and the arugula is just starting to wilt. Put extra lemon wedges on the table.

Warm Vegetarian Bistro Salad Mediterranean Quick Weeknight dinner Halloumi Gluten-free 250 g halloumi 400 g canned chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry 2 red bell peppers 80 g arugula Handful fresh mint 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds 1 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp ground cumin 3 tbsp olive oil Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tsp liquid honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard Chili flakes to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper Frying pan (28 cm, preferably without a non-stick coating) Cutting board Sharp knife Mixing bowl Spatula or tongs Kitchen paper Small bowl (for dressing) Frying Pan Without Non-Stick Coating frying-pan-without-non-stick-coating Salad bowls salad-bowl Mixing Bowl mixing-bowl Spatula spatula Beka Frying pan Maestro 5-Ply Ø 28 cm – suitable for all heat sources – without non-stick coating Beka Koekenpan Beka Frying pan Cicla stainless steel Ø 20 cm – suitable for all heat sources – ceramic non-stick coating Beka Koekenpan Blackwell Frying pan carbon steel Ø 20 cm – without non-stick coating Blackwell Koekenpan De Buyer Frying pan Lyonnaise Carbon Plus - Sheet steel - ø 32 cm - without non-stick coating De Buyer ["Koekenpan"] Warm salad with seared halloumi and roasted vegetables foodies-warm-salad-with-seared-halloumi-and-roasted-vegetables Warm bistro salad with seared steak and roasted vegetables foodies-warm-bistro-salad-with-seared-steak-and-roasted-vegetables Courgetti with Avocado-Pesto and Burrata foodies-courgetti-with-avocado-pesto-and-burrata

Recipe

Warm halloumi salad with roasted peppers and chickpeas

A rich, warm bistro salad with crisply seared halloumi, roasted peppers and crunchy chickpeas. On the table in less than 35 minutes.

Course	Main course
Kitchen	Mediterranean
Servings	2 servings

Preparation time

Preparation time	10 min
Total	30 min

Equipment

Frying pan (28 cm, preferably without a non-stick coating)
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Mixing bowl
Spatula or tongs
Kitchen paper
Small bowl (for dressing)

Ingredients

250 g halloumi
400 g canned chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
2 red bell peppers
80 g arugula
Handful fresh mint
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp liquid honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Chili flakes to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make a warm halloumi salad with roasted peppers and chickpeas?

Pat the halloumi dry with kitchen paper and cut into slices about 1 cm thick. Let the slices rest at room temperature for 5 minutes so they sear properly.
Rinse the chickpeas and pat them dry as well. Toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
Heat your frying pan over medium-high to high heat without oil. The pan is ready when a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add the chickpeas and cook them 6 to 8 minutes, shaking occasionally, until they're crispy and lightly charred. Spoon them out of the pan and set aside.
Cut the peppers into wide strips. Add a small splash of olive oil to the pan and cook the pepper strips over high heat 4 to 5 minutes until blistered and showing dark edges. Remove them from the pan as well.
Fry the halloumi slices in the same hot pan, without extra oil, 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Take them off the heat as soon as the color is right — halloumi becomes tough if you leave it too long.
Make the dressing: mix the juice of half a lemon with 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the arugula over deep plates or a large platter. Arrange the warm peppers, chickpeas and halloumi on top. Spoon the dressing over and garnish with fresh mint, pomegranate seeds and, if you like, some chili flakes for extra heat.
Serve immediately, while the ingredients are still warm and the arugula is just starting to wilt. Put extra lemon wedges on the table.

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The key to this recipe is a scorching hot pan and the courage to leave the halloumi alone. Don't press, don't move. Give the Maillard reaction room and you'll be rewarded with a crust that snaps when you bite into it. A pan that holds heat well and distributes it evenly makes the difference between pale and brilliant.

Want to vary? Replace the halloumi with thick slices of firm tofu or add a handful of roasted walnuts for extra bite. The dressing also works wonderfully with a bit of tahini stirred in for a richer, nuttier flavor. Serve with warm flatbread for a complete meal you can confidently put in front of guests.